TIM HOWARD reckons Everton’s victory at Sunderland proves they won’t let the disappointment of Florence affect their push for a top four place.

Everton face Fiorentina in the second leg for their last 16 Uefa Cup tie tomorrow at Goodison Park two goals down following a below-par performance in Thursday’s first meeting.

But they recovered to draw level with Liverpool on points in the quest for fourth by winning 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

And goalkeeper Howard, the only Everton player to emerge from the first leg in Italy with any credit, feels that resilience is a trademark of all the top teams – and can inspire them to pull off an unlikely comeback to stay in Europe.

“We’re not going to let one result define us,” said Howard. “These guys are great, they’re up for it and we’ve had a tremendous season – and we’re going to keep it going.

“Thursday was one of those games where you have to give Fiorentina the credit. Sometimes you ask what happened, what went wrong?

“Well what went wrong was a really good team pressured us into making bad decisions, and sometimes that happens in football.

“We know that we’ve had a great run and sometimes it does come to an end – but it can’t be the end of the world, you just start another run and we’ve done that a couple of times this year so we’re well capable of it.”

Andrew Johnson’s winner at Sunderland made it nine games unbeaten in the league and four successive victories.

And the way Everton refused to let the excursions of Fiorentina affect their form at the weekend is, according to Howard, a sign that they are primed for a top-four fight.

He said: “The big teams like United, Chelsea and Arsenal might have a bad midweek in the Champions League but they still have to come back and do the business at the weekend and that doesn’t change.

“It’s not like we can rest and out our feet up because we’ve got a battle on our hands but that’s the way it is if you want to be at the top.”

Confidence for the remainder of the campaign will be even higher in the camp if they can overturn the 2-0 deficit tomorrow and progress to the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup.

But Howard knows an early goal will be essential to disrupt the Italians’ game plan of sitting back on their lead and hoping to nick a clinching away goal on the break.

“We didn’t do a good job keeping them out on Thursday but we know we can score goals at Goodison and we have all season,” said Howard.

“So if we get the first goal, particularly early on, it puts the pressure squarely back on their shoulders.

“But if they pinch a goal we’re struggling so we need to keep them out, keep it tight, don’t give them anything and take the chances that we create.”

Howard has kept seven clean sheets during Everton’s unbeaten run in the league, only conceding two goals in those nine games.

But that sequence has also coincided with Phil Jagielka establishing himself at centre-back and his goalkeeper has revealed that the former Sheffield United man’s “old school” style has been central to their sound defensive record.

“He’s done very, very well. Jags is great because he throws his body in front of everything,” Howard added. “He’s old-school, he’s of the old style and it’s fun to have that in front of you.

“We’ve got some guys who are really classy on the ball but Jags gets in there, he is no-nonsense and you know what you are going to get with him.”

Mikel Arteta’s ambition to see the season out received a boost after coming through 90 minutes at Sunderland.

It was the Spaniard’s first start for more than a fortnight after receiving treatment on a troublesome stomach and groin strain.

But Arteta said: “I haven't played without pain for a long time and Sunday was the first time. I can finish as I want and help the team as much as I can.”